“You can’t effectively clean out a wound one-handed, especially with your non-dominant hand,” I tell him, flipping both my soapy palms up so he’ll place his hand in them.
Tenny hesitates, his fingers twitching slightly. I know this goes beyond professional boundaries, but obviously, this is a medical emergency.
“Tenny, come on. What if you get some crazy form of avian rabies or…or botulism?”
“I was never very good at science, but I don’t think—”
“Just give me your hand!” Some of the soap on my fingers flings onto his sweatshirt as I give them an impatient bounce.
Tenny takes a long, slow breath before reluctantly sliding his hand into mine.
Chapter 24
Tenny
It’s just as painful as I expected. Not the seagull bite. That hurts less than the hard pop of a ball to my palm when I fail to catch it in the pocket. What’s absolutelyevisceratingme is the tender way Alex washes every inch of my hand, taking extra care over the shallow wound. The sensation of her thumbs over my calluses is so blissful it needs its own dissertation.
I’m not sure if she’s being extra thorough because she’s truly afraid of beak-rot fever or whatever, or if…
My eyes press closed as I push the foolish thought away. Alex doesn’t want an excuse to keep touching me. She’s just being considerate. It’s one of the things I like about her. That and how she rolls with the punches. Alex was completely unbothered earlier, wiping away drool after cackling like a madwomanat our situation. Even now, she’s covered in cold coffee with her hair a disheveled halo around her gorgeous face and seems unconcerned by the fact that her patio is an absolute mess.
Which is pretty much my fault.
“I didn’t think we’d get swarmed like that. I’m sorry about bringing too much food, for being too—”
“I like when you do that,” Alex interrupts, eyes on her task as she rinses off bubbles.
My heart feels trapped in my throat. “Do what?”
Alex tilts her head back and forth as she thinks, and a trash compactor presses all the air from my lungs.
“The food thing.” She shuts off the water and rips off a paper towel. “Mags and I ate those delectable pastries fordays.”
I use the loss of contact to get a freaking grip.See…Alex doesn’t like you; she likes food. Who doesn’t like food? We’d be an extinct species if no one ate. Food equals survival.
“I can do that,” I say, holding out my right hand for the towel.
Alex’s eyes narrow to slits as they meet mine. “And contaminate the site? No way.”
Okay.Proper wound care is apparently a hot-button issue with this woman.
I’m about to make a joke before clarity slaps me upside my big dumb face. Alex mentioned having an injury that took her a long time to recover from. Surgery and wounds were probably involved in that.
“Thank you for helping me,” I tell her instead, voice soft.
She shakes her head while drying my hand. “I can’t believe that jackwad bit you.”
“It’s been a weird morning.”
Alex smiles at my fingers before instructing me to not touch anything, like I’m a disobedient toddler, and going in search of Band-Aids and antibacterial ointment.
When she comes back into the kitchen, I’m in the same exact spot, but my mind has a better grip on the situation.
“Before we were so rudely interrupted”—I pause when Alex snorts—“you detailed how you’re going to help me, but what is my… How did you put it in your text yesterday?” I pretend to think, like I haven’t memorized each word she’s typed since she unblocked me. “What is my role in this ‘intentionally transactional professional relationship’?”
“That title is a bit of a mouthful,” I say before Alex can answer, rubbing my beard scruff with my free hand. “Maybe we should make it an acronym? ITPR? Or maybe a more relaxed name like Friends Helping Friends?”
“We’re friends now?” Alex asks, applying the bandage.
